Double DUI arrests in fatal crash

No work planned on Esterley Tibbetts

An already tragic situation caused by a two-car crash in George Town early Tuesday only got worse on Wednesday. Royal Cayman Islands Police arrested both drivers involved in the deadly collision on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway on suspicion of drink driving.

The crash killed FederAnn Faustino, 24, of the Philippines. Ms Faustino was a passenger in the Honda Civic that collided with a Toyota SUV, which had apparently swerved into the path of the Honda at around 12.30am on the highway. The road is also known as the Harquail bypass.

The driver of the Toyota SUV was also arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. She remained in George Town Hospital undergoing treatment for non-life-threatening injuries at press time Wednesday. .

Police said the Honda Civic’s driver – who was not seriously hurt in the wreck – was free on police bail pending an interview by investigators.

Neither individual has been formally charged in the incident, according to police. Cayman Islands’ law allows individuals suspected of crime to be arrested and held for up to 12 days without criminal charges being laid.

Ms Faustino, a migrant worker who lived in Cayman for the past two years, had been out with her boyfriend, who was driving the Honda the night of the accident.

Her older sister, Dina Wood, said Tuesday that she was upset with Ms Faustino for going out so late.

‘I was upset with her. I told her, you know, I understand they are spending time together, but I don’t like that time of night she was going out,” Mrs. Wood said. “I can’t believe my sister’s gone.”

Attempts to reach the family of the Toyota SUV‘s driver had not been successful by press time. She was identified prior to her arrest in Wednesday’s editions of the Caymanian Compass, but for legal reasons the paper can no longer name her unless formal charges are filed. The Compass is also not naming the Honda Civic’s driver.

The vehicles involved in the crash are being inspected by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service accident reconstructionist.

No road work

The National Roads Authority has been trying to gain approval for the widening of that two-lane section of the Esterley Tibbetts for a number of years, but officials said Wednesday that no such work was on the cards in the near term.

“We suggested this project to the past and present governments in budget submissions, but the project has not been funded,” said Brian Tomlinson, managing director of the roads authority.

The project, estimated at $4 million, would seek to make that section of the Esterley between Camana Bay and the Butterfield roundabout a four-lane, divided road. “It is well recognised among traffic engineering circles that a two lane, urban/rural highway is much more dangerous and claims more lives per annum than a divided roadway with a central median,” NRA Deputy Managing Director Edward Howard said in 2008.

Authority officials have previously rejected a ban on overtaking along the road and have said they disagreed with lowering the speed limit in the area from 40 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour.

A number of high-profile fatal accidents have occurred along that area of the Esterley since 2007, including wrecks that killed Shaney Tania Bar-On and Johnathan Tarboton.

1 COMMENT

Your article says the situation has got worse regarding the two arrests. I beg to differ that the worse part was the poor getting killed. The two arrested will walk with a sslap on the wrist because they are both Caymanian. Had the girl not been an ex-pat the two arrested may have had it "worse". I don’t expect this will get published though.

In regard to the first post on this subject…it was edited and where it says "the poor getting killed" it was supposed to say the poor girl getting killed. This was not meant to be a class issue or statement. The statement was was meant to take issue that not all things are equal. To the Judge it does not matter if you are rich or poor and that is not what this is about. IT DOES matter where you come from. Ex Pats Rich and Poor ARE treated different. If you are Rich it’s how much can we get you for and if you are poor it’s how much can we do you for